THE HIGH COSTS OF END-OF-LIFE EQUIPMENT
Managing the path to the customer demarcation point is straightforward. But here’s where many ISPs and enterprise networks lose money: running gear that’s past End-of-Life (EOL) and overpaying for replacements.
Once a device is EOL:
– Vendor firmware updates stop → Security vulnerabilities multiply
– Replacement parts become scarce → Lead times and costs spike
– Support contracts cost more → ROI drops fast
A Bay Area WISP came to us with these exact problems:
– Several aggregation switches and edge routers were 2 years past EOL
– OEM quoting full list price for “last available” replacements
– Existing configurations were locking them into a single-vendor path
Our approach to solve these:
1. Hardware Audit: full inventory with lifecycle status for every device
2. Risk & Cost Analysis: identified immediate security risks and projected 12-month TCO if nothing changed
3. Architecture Optimization: proposed alternative hardware paths (Juniper, Cisco, Arista) that matched performance requirements
4. Procurement Leverage: used strategic vendor relationships to secure bulk pricing well below list
5. Transition Plan: built a phased migration roadmap with zero downtime deployment
Outcome:
– 37% lower capex on replacements vs. OEM quote
– Improved throughput on core links by 22%
– Secured multi-vendor architecture to avoid future lock-in
Key insight: EOL isn’t just a maintenance milestone – it’s a cost inflection point. The sooner you plan your refresh, the more leverage you have with both vendors and architecture choices.
